Sundin misses ‘second home’ in Toronto
Mats Sundin hadn’t heard cheering like that from the balcony since his playing days.
But these weren’t fans from the greens at the Air Canada Centre. These were patients and staffers on the upper floors of the Hospital for Sick Children, the new home of his old No. 13 banner. Monday’s ceremony was part of a rare visit by the Leafs captain, combining business, pleasure, his gifting of the banner and a $330,000 top-up for his foundation that promotes newborn health research at the University of Toronto and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Clearly moved by a highlight video of his 13 years in blue, the 47-year-old franchise scoring leader said he intends to come back more often. “Toronto was my second home, and I thought I’d be here four or five times a year,” Sundin said. “It’s been maybe once because of family (three kids under six). But I think now, as they get older, I’ll be able to spend more time. “My daughter (Bonnie) said ‘I want to go to Toronto.’ She’s seen my statue on Legends Row and she’s always remembered that. I told my wife (Josephine) when we landed here, it’s like coming home, there are so many memories, from visiting this hospital, being on the ice, being in the dressing room, the practices, all the ups and downs. That’s what life is all about.”
HOW SWEDE IT IS
Judging by William Nylander, Andreas Johnsson, Carl Grundstrom, Pierre Engvall, Calle Rosen, Andreas Borgman and Timothy Liljegren spread between the Leafs and Marlies, the Swedish hockey legacy that began with Borje Salming and Inge Hammarstrom in the 1970s is still going strong.
“An organization such as the Leafs have to be open (minded) and take the talent, no matter what the nationalities are,” said Sundin, who was his country’s adviser at the last World Cup. “... Sweden is developing a lot. We’ll see this year in the draft (projected No. 1 is Rasmus Dahlin) . ... “Management has done a great job building the team the way it should be done. You see the Marlies in the Calder Cup final and on the Leafs roster, the best players are 21-22. You keep building on that, you have a chance to be good for a long time.”